The country's newest entertainment network, Lao Star Channel, has proved popular with viewers throughout the country, a TV executive said on Tuesday.
A particular favourite is Tholakhong (Speaker), a youth entertainment programme already well known among teenagers in Laos , providing information on local singers, celebrities and events, which received a wave of positive feedback in its first month on air .
Tholakhong broadcasts the latest tunes and entertainment news every Sunday at 6.30pm.
“We get about 100 phone calls a week from people wanting to make comments and request a song when our programme is on air. Most of these are from Luang Prabang, Champassak,
Khammuan and Savannakhet provinces,” said the President of Financial Productions, the company behind the top show, Mr Anoulack Pathammavong.
Financial Productions is a subsidiary of Indee Records, a popular Vientiane-based record company. Aside from new
releases of modern Lao music, the programme also features competitions, lifestyle items and reports on environmental issues.
“We have designed the programme to look modern to keep up with entertainment shows in other countries,” said Tholakhong presenter Mr Ek from the popular Lao band, Overdance.
“I usually send an SMS to request songs and congratulate them on the show. What I like is the style and new Lao songs, as well as finding out about what's happening in Vientiane ,” said a teenager from Luang Prabang, Ms Tingkham Thongsaly.
She commented that the popularity of the show was also good for stimulating other Lao programme makers to produce better quality television.
“It's a new thing for Laos to produce a cool programme like this, and it represents the ideas of Lao youngsters,” said a teacher from Bounneua Secondary School in Phongsaly, Mr Sithon Namvideth.
Mr Anoulack explained that the show also reported on issues such as global warming to raise awareness about environmental protection among young people.
“Teenagers are the next generation and need to consider environmental issues.
All the scripts for the programme are checked by an official from the Ministry of Information and Culture, so everything coming up on the screen is approved by the ministry,” assured Mr Anoulack.
The half hour programme is broadcast from 6.30pm every Sunday, and is soon to be extended to 45 minutes.
Its nice to hear that our Lao Television show is doing well among our Lao youth, wish we have more selection of channels and programs so we don't have to depend on our neighbor for .................
I think we already have too many entertainment programs on the TV. Most of those program open the same songs and have no uniqeness at all. It would be better if the program can provide some useful information for the TV viewers and make themself different from the others program in Laos or Thailand.
Someone (like an EDITOR) at Vientiane Times (which is where this article came from, and we would know this if THE PERSON WHO POSTED THE ARTICLE WOULD PUT THE SOURCE) should tell Mr Souknilundon that he needs more than the 'executive' saying that the program is popular, for it to be a news story. Of course the executive is going to say its popular, he is just supporting his interests. He needs someone to do a survey of viewers. This news article is very poor quality.
It is better if this programme shall be a popular in Thai too.Lao songs are now very popular in Thai border provinces like Nongkhai ,Loei or else including Laos in Thai.Is this chanel sattlelite TV? If yes, so it can do.Guest if this is the only one Lao chanel is in Thai !.
